NDLEA Arrests Businesswoman and Auto Parts Dealer for UK-Bound Cocaine Smuggling

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a businesswoman from Ibadan, Adewunmi Dorcas, and an auto parts dealer, Arinze Ora, for attempting to export drugs, including opioids and cocaine, to the United Kingdom and Congo Brazzaville. The arrests took place following the interception of illegal consignments at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The NDLEA operatives, stationed at the airport’s export shed, intercepted a cargo shipment bound for the UK on September 6, 2024. According to a statement from NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, a search revealed 924 bottles of codeine-based syrup, weighing 135.70kg, and 5,250 tablets of Rohypnol hidden within cartons of foodstuffs.

The freight agent, Owojori Olanrewaju Sunday, who presented the cargo, was immediately arrested. Further investigations led to the arrest of Adewunmi Akeem Temitope, who claimed his mother, 58-year-old Mrs. Adewunmi Adebola Dorcas, had sent the consignment from Ibadan. A follow-up operation on September 7 resulted in the arrest of Mrs. Adewunmi at her business location in Ibadan, where she deals in foodstuffs and cargo exports.

“Owojori confessed to working with Mrs. Adewunmi on exporting illegal cargoes to the UK,” Babafemi said. He added that the freight agent was paid over N2.4 million for this particular job and had previously received N2.1 million for a similar consignment sent by the businesswoman.

Cocaine Hidden in Custard Containers

In another operation at the same airport export shed, NDLEA officers on September 11 discovered 300 grams of cocaine hidden in Checker powder custard containers. The drug-laden custard was packed alongside auto parts in cartons set to be exported to Congo Brazzaville via Ethiopian Airlines.

A follow-up investigation led to the arrest of the consignor, Arinze Ora, who operates an auto parts business at Shop 12, Block 7, Aspanda Trade Fair Auto Parts Wing in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.

Babafemi explained that Ora was the mastermind behind the smuggling attempt, adding that the agency’s diligence helped expose his illegal activities. “The NDLEA remains committed to bringing drug traffickers to justice, no matter their method of concealment,” Babafemi emphasized.

Crackdown on Drug Trafficking Networks

The NDLEA’s efforts to combat drug smuggling didn’t stop at these arrests. On September 10, the agency arrested two brothers, Ikechukwu Ikeabba and Ugochukwu Ikeabba, in connection with a drug trafficking ring that specialized in sending drugs to Vietnam via ingestion. The arrests followed an investigation linked to the earlier apprehension of a businessman from Onitsha, Anambra State, Ibeanusi Solomon Nosike.

Nosike had excreted 68 wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.282 kilograms, after being held under observation for 12 days. He was arrested on August 8, 2024, at the Lagos airport while trying to board a flight to Abuja, where he planned to catch a Qatar Airways flight to Vietnam.

Further investigations revealed that the Ikeabba brothers were behind Nosike’s smuggling attempt. “At the time of their arrest, the brothers were found with 87 cocaine dummies used for training drug traffickers on swallowing techniques,” Babafemi stated.

The brothers were also linked to another Vietnam-bound smuggler, 54-year-old Paul Mbadugha, who was arrested on August 12 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Mbadugha excreted 88 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.710 kilograms after being placed under observation for four days.

Tramadol and Cannabis Seizures Across States

In Gombe State, NDLEA operatives arrested three suspects on September 14 after intercepting a DAF truck loaded with 2,490,000 Tramadol pills concealed in bags of salt. The suspects—Auwal Abdullahi, Isah Rabiu, and Abubakar Da’u—were apprehended along the Bauchi-Gombe Road.

In a separate operation in Kaduna State, on September 10, the NDLEA arrested a suspect named Idris Adamu with 41.5 kilograms of cannabis sativa in Kachia town. In Ekiti State, two other suspects, Godiya Jikuk and Yusuf Umaru, were nabbed with 73.6 kilograms of cannabis on September 11.

Meanwhile, in Bauchi State, operatives seized 208,920 pills of Tramadol and Diazepam from Chinedu Asadu on September 13. Additionally, 104 kilograms of cannabis was confiscated from two suspects, Abba Abdullahi and Mustapha Yahaya, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on September 10.

Major Bust at Tincan Port

In a major drug bust, NDLEA operatives discovered 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup in two containers shipped from India. This seizure was made during a joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies at the Tincan Port in Lagos on September 10. Babafemi said the containers had been targeted for 100% examination due to intelligence reports received by the NDLEA.

Babafemi concluded by reiterating the NDLEA’s resolve to intensify its crackdown on drug trafficking networks across Nigeria. He praised the agency’s continued collaboration with other security forces in ensuring that those involved in illegal drug activities are brought to justice.